A Drug You Can Trust
by Rokubi
Summary: Shepard fails Thane's loyalty mission and it's up to Jack to save the day. Can Jack play peacemaker long enough to get Kolyat to see reason? Or will the ex-con and budding assassin end up killing each other? Jack/Kolyat M Content
1. Part I

**Title:** A Drug You Can Trust

**Disclaimer:** All characters belong to Bioware.

**Beta Reader: **Marie-Fanwriter

**Summary:** Shepard fails Thane's loyalty mission and it's up to Jack to save the day. Can Jack play peacemaker long enough to get Kolyat to see reason? Or will the ex-con and budding assassin end up killing each other?

* * *

**Part 1 **

Jack's foot slams into the skycar's dashboard. "'Don't leave the car, Jack.'" She mocks in a crudely high pitched voice. "'This is delicate work, Jack.'" Her arms are crossed across her leather clad chest as she stares up at the car's roof. "Then why the fuck did you bring me?" She asks the empty car and her temper only rises with the lack of an answer. Her foot slams down again, only this time she hits the door release.

"Oops," she says in a hollow tone as she rolls her eyes. The door lifts up and she hops out. The cool, slightly stale air is a welcome change as she walks across the parking complex she's currently in. Jack stops to lean against a wall and digs into her pocket.

"'Don't smoke on the ship.'" She mocks again. "'Could blow us all to hell.'" One stick is freed from the pack and she places it between white teeth; lips pulling back into a snarl from nothing more than habit. The pack is replaced in her pocket and a lighter is fished out. Both the lighter and the cigarettes are old Earth style. And while there are newer, Council approved, smokes that don't so much as make a baby cough, Jack finds the old Earth stuff to be more fulfilling.

Jack snaps her lighter open and close, listening to the quiet metallic click. She does it a second time before her eyes narrow at the point beyond her mouth and a flash of blue flares dangerously close to her face; her biotics lighting her cigarette.

Her fingers snap open the lighter again. The cool metal in her hand and the bumps of the etched on design are familiar to her. The snap is loud in the parking tower as there are no cars moving at the moment. She runs her finger over the wick once before flicking on the flame. Her finger repeats the movement and the flame is only slightly warm to her calloused pad.

Jack closes her eyes as her shoulders sag; the only sound is the sharp snap and her breathing.

Open. Close. Open. Close. Control.

Right now everything is under her control and, even if it is minuscule, it is still something.

She stays like that long enough to go through four from her pack. As she decides this will be her last one—who knows when the commander will let her off her lease long enough to get another pack—she hears the rapid approach of footsteps. For one second her heart quickens and she has the urge to hurry back to the car. But she pushes it away. She's near the car; that should be enough. If not, then she's in for another lecture.

Thane hurries in—no, not Thane.

Jack slips into the shadows as a very blue drell runs into the lot on the far side. His clothes are surprisingly slimmer to Thane's and Jack's not one for coincidence.

She hit her comm on her ear and quietly calls, "Commander." No answer so she tries again. "Boss lady, fish boy, ya there?"

"Jack?" Commander Shepard's voice is heavy and slightly panting. "What's wrong?" Jack ignores the fake concern layered in the woman's voice.

"I'm guessin' that 'delicate work' you were taking about was blown to hell, seeing that I'm looking at a drell who looks like a fluorescent Thane."

"Kolyat?" Thane's voice is controlled as always and Jack has the normal urge to break his calm façade. "You see him? Are you sure?"

"Nope. Just a wild guess. All you lizard men look the same to me." The drell in question is looking through car windows. "But he is about to steal a car."

"Stop him!" Shepard orders. "We'll be there soon."

"Oh?" Jack drawls. "I thought I had to stay in the car like a good little bitch?"

"Jack!"

She rolls her eyes. "Okay, okay. Leave it to…" the drell notices the open door to Shepard's rented skycar and is now jumping inside. "… me." The door closes. "Oh, son of a bitch! Fuck no!"

"What?" Both Shepard and Thane ask in worried voices.

"I will never hear the end of this you bastard!" She yells as she flicks her cig off to the side and angrily rushes the now powered on skycar.

"End of what? What did you—" Jack turns off her comm.

She jumps just as the car lifts off the ground and lands hard on the hood. For a second her eyes meet the inky black ones of the drell inside.

His eyes are wide in shock and Jack snarls, "Land this shit and get _the fuck_ out!"

He hesitates. And for a second he looks like he will as he holds her gaze.

"Sorry," he calls in a voice so gravelly that she can hear it easily over the car and through the glass. "I can't." His hand darts to his hip and pulls free a pistol. "Sorry." He repeats as he aims.

Jacks snarl turns into feral grin.

The car violently jerks as her biotics slam into it. The drell inside is thrown like a rag doll and Jack sees his gun slip from his hand and slide under a seat. The man doesn't try to fish around for it; instead he grabs the wheel and tries to get the car under control. Only Jack's blast did more damage than she meant for it to and now the car is smoking.

He jerks the wheel hard and the car spins out of the parking tower. Jack sees the chance to jump off and land safely; instead, she punches through the windshield. If Thane's kid died because she couldn't control herself, well, Shepard would have every right to lay into her.

Her biotic protect her arm as the glass breaks. A flash of blue from inside tells her that the dell is a biotic as well. The car is sinking fast and smoke from under the hood is stinging her eyes.

"Come on!" She reaches in and pulls him by the side of his high collar. A fist flies at her from the smoke and hit her square in her jaw. "Fuck!" She lets him go and slides back on the hood as the car tips.

"Don't touch me!" He growls over the wind as he climbs out on the hood.

"I'm not telling Thane his son's a skid mark on the Citadel floor, so come on!" At the mention of Thane the drell freezes and Jack's positive she made the right call assuming he was Kolyat.

Jack takes the opportunity to grab him—one arm under his and wrapped around his back—and jump.

Kolyat has enough sense not to push her away in midair. The car has drifted near an apartment complex and with a burst of energy they slam through a wide window. His biotics flare with hers to soften their landing. Jack is shocked as Kolyat tucks her head under his chin as they roll on the glass cover floor.

They slide to a stop and Jack kicks his body forcibly from hers. Kolyat grunts from the blow to his gut and glares at her.

"Oh, you're _fun_." He sneers as he stands. For a second it looks like he might hold his hand out for her but stops as he turns away.

Jack stands slowly, cautious now that they're in an enclosed space. He maybe unarmed but he still has biotics. She runs a hand along her side for her pistol but finds it gone.

Kolyat glances back at her and she can see her pistol in the hand not holding his stomach.

"You sneaky bastard." Jack can feel a real smile tug her lips. "I kinda like you." She muses as she pulls her shotgun from her back and starts walking slowly around the room. He does the same and they size each other up as they pace.

"Who are you?" Kolyat narrows his eyes. "How do you know m- _Thane_?" Jack can hear the hate in his voice and she knows that's all Kolyat will _want_ her to hear. But she's an expert on pain at this point in her life and she can hear the bitterness, longing, and sadness all living underneath.

Looks like Mr. Perfect Assassin fucked up big time as a dad.

"I work with him."

Kolyat runs his eyes over her as his hand drops away from his stomach. "_You're_ an assassin?" he asks with clear disbelief.

"Ex-con." She's never really had a job before and that title is only one she has.

"He's recruiting criminals now?"

Jack snorts. "What do you think assassins _are_? Ninja police?" She stops moving and so does Kolyat. "We're working with a Spectre, so everything's legit." She's not sure what her next move should be. Talking only seems to be pissing him off. Maybe if she knocks him out? Then she can just drag his ass back to the Normandy and throw him in the brig for Shepard to deal with.

But the thought of Shepard only reminds Jack of the prison ship they met on and how Shepard's lackeys suggested knocking _her_ out. Shepard had just kept talking until Jack saw reason. But she isn't Shepard and talking was never her strong suit.

Kolyat rolls to the side as Jack releases a shockwave. He makes it to cover behind a half wall that separated the kitchen and living room.

"Here's the deal, kid. I'm gonna knock your ass out and drag you out of here. Don't even try and fake surrender." The fire she saw in his eyes will not let him give in easily, and Jack knows it.

"Wasn't thinking about it," he calls as he pops up from cover. His shockwave isn't as strong as hers. But he used her moment of defense to close the distance between them.

_Assassin._ She reminded herself. If he's anything like Thane then she needs to keep him at bay. Jack pulls up a barrier—like that Cerberus dog, Jacob, taught her—and is annoyed to see she still hasn't learned to erect it quite right as the drell smashes through. So she pulls up her shotgun and fires.

He dodges the blast but it is clear he was expecting it as he dances to the side and—quicker than she can follow—he is behind her. One arm wrapped around her body the other is holding her pistol to her chest. His head is on the side of hers, so she can't head-butt him, and his stance is wide to keep them balanced and to make sure she can't kick him.

Jack is surprised by how _amused_ she is and how sure she is that he won't shoot. He's being too careful and controlled. If he was going to hurt her he wouldn't bother trapping her.

"Now," his mouth is next to her ear as he speaks. "Tell _Thane_ I don't want to see him. Not now, not ever. Understood?"

She can feel his voice vibrating through his body as his chest is smashed tight against her back. The dark timbre of his voice echoes powerfully in her ear. A fire in the pit of her belly sparks, filling her with a heady rush.

Jack flares her biotics, flinging him back into the wall behind them. She turns and cocks her shotgun. "Tell him yourself." She smiles as Kolyat glares up at her. While he may not be willing to shoot her—_just yet_—she knows Chakwas can patch up a busted leg or two.

Kolyat must be able to read her thoughts as he makes no move to get up. "I'd rather you kill me." His eyes are not as dark as Thane's; more dark brown than abysmal black.

"Stop being such a bitch." She rolls her eyes at the theatrics of his last sentence. "Your dad's trying to do right by you—"

"Ten years too late."

Jack narrows her eyes. "Know what? I'm starting to think Thane shouldn't waste his time with you." Her shotgun lowers slightly.

Kolyat jerks as his anger increases. "He's the one who—"

"Fucked up? Yeah he knows. Hell, _we all know_. That's all he whines about on the damn ship; how he let your sorry ass down. Now he's here trying to fix it and you're just trying to run away like some pussy." What happened to just knocking him out? Why bother talking? "Now man up."

Slowly Kolyat stands; his eyes watching her with a predatory glint. He is faster and she knows he's been working as a hit man. Jack knows she should put some distance between them, but can't make herself look away from his gaze.

"So I'm supposed to do what? Act like everything's okay? Now that _he_ wants to see me? I stopped waiting for him years ago. And I'm not about to forgive him just because he's dying."

That catches Jack off guard. "You know he's sick?"

Kolyat tempter seems to be cooling as he leans back on the wall behind him, one arm crossed over his chest, the other still holding her pistol.

"Of course I know." It's his turn to roll his eyes. "I've been keeping tabs on him for years. While he was content not knowing where the hell his only son was, I knew every job he was doing; every life he took. I only lost track of him a few months ago."

"Why not contact him?" Jack raises a brow.

"If he didn't care, neither did I." Again, the dramatics make Jack roll her eyes at him.

"Damn, you whine a lot." She sighs. "And now he cares—"

"Ten—"

"'Years too late'. Blah, blah. I get it." The idea of knocking him out is looking pretty good again.

Kolyat aims his gun at her and fury fills his face. Jack brings hers back to proper height. "Don't mock me, human! You don't know what it was like! Growing up—"

"If we're about to play 'Who had the most fucked up childhood' I win every time. So don't waste your breath with whatever sob story you have unless the words 'kidnapped,' 'tortured,' and 'experimented on' show up." Shit, why say that?

Shit, why is her mouth still moving? _Shut up Jack. Shut the fuck up._ "Just be happy you got a _shot_ at being normal. That you are here right now because _you_ fucked up, not daddy dearest."

They're quiet after that. The rage in his face is gone and in its place is a look that she's seen on Thane, so she knows he's deep in thought.

With guns still pointed at each other Kolyat quietly asks, "What's your name?"

"Jack." And even though she knows his name, she waits for him to tell her.

"Kolyat Krios." He lowers his gun and slowly Jack does the same.

"So," he starts and looks off to the broken glass window they smashed through. "If I meet with him once, you'll leave me alone?"

"I'll leave you alone," _but Shepard and Thane may not. _

She has a feeling that he hears her unspoken message, but still gives a slow nod. "Alright."

He flips the gun in his hand and holds the handle out to Jack, returning the weapon before turning away. Jack is shocked by the trust that it implies. After all, she's the better biotic and, without a gun, he's at a big disadvantage. His cool fingers brush hers as she takes her gun and the fire in her gut burns strong.

Jack takes her first good look at the drell. He's taller than his father. A broader build, but has the same tight muscles. His face is longer and more angular than Thane's; manly whereas Thane's always looked a bit girly to her. He has the same strangely full drell lips and his skin is blue-green.

His head is slightly turned back to her as he looks at her from the corner of his dark eyes; tracing the tattoos on her body with interest.

She finds she doesn't like the trust he has given her. It makes her think he knows something she doesn't. That there is another act to this game they're playing and only he knows it. So Jack turns her back to him. It's stupid, but it's an act of defiance; her way of hopefully throwing him off guard.

"Commander," Jack calls as she walks through the half destroyed room; her ears straining to hear any movement from the other occupant.

"Jack." Again the worry is clear in Shepard voice and it's getting harder and harder to pretend it's fake. "Are you okay? Where are you?"

"And Kolyat?" Thane asks and Jack actually laughs at the worry in his.

"Stopping being such worry-warts. I'm fine and so is Kolyat. He's agreed to meet with Thane."

"_Agreed_?" Shepard starts cautiously. "How many bullets did that take?"

Jake glances back at Kolyat and grins. "'How may bullets?' None; took a page from your book and sweet talked him." She winks and is amused to see Kolyat glance shyly away.

"So no injuries?"

"Just a few cut and bruises from the fall."

"What _fall_? And where is the skycar? It hasn't been responding to my calls."

Shit. She had forgotten about that. "Uh, about that… don't freak out, but it kinda of crashed."

"What?" Jack winces at the volume.

"Chill, just take it out of my pay."

"You don't make enough." Shepard says flatly.

"And why not?" Jack huffs, slightly distracted with the conservation. "I know for a fact that bitch Miranda gets a fat check. And I've been on a shit-load more missions than her."

"She my XO and Cerberus pays her."

"_You_ have money," she counters.

"I'm not giving you a raise out of pocket," Shepard sighs and Jack knows she's rubbing her temples at this moment. "Just get your ass back to the ship." The comm cuts and Jack realizes she had stopped paying attention to Kolyat. She turns to his spot and is surprised to see him still here.

"You're working for someone and not getting properly paid?" he asks. "Why?"

Jack shrugs as she waves her hand for him to follow her out the door. "She helped me out of a jam and hasn't stabbed me in the back."

"Sounds like there should be a _yet_ at the end that sentence."

At one point there was, but she isn't so sure now.

"Freeze!" Outside the apartment, the hall is loaded with C-Sec officers. Of course someone would hear all the noise they were making. "Put down your weapons and put your hands in the air." A human cop yells.

From behind her Kolyat sighs. "You just attract trouble, don't you?"

"Don't be such a pussy, you know you like it."

His gravelly laugh sends a trill up her spine and Jack gives a feral grin.


	2. Part II

**Title:** A Drug You Can Trust

**Disclaimer:** All characters belong to Bioware.

**Beta Reader: **Marie-Fanwriter

* * *

**Part II**

Shepard will be proud. Jack and Kolyat managed to get away without killing a single pig. Of course some will be in the hospital for a while as she's no saint and getting locked up right now is not an option.

Kolyat is keeping an even pace beside her. And from the measured stride Jack knows he can move a lot faster. Jack pushes herself into a sprint and ignores the small smirk on Kolyat's lips.

They are running through a back ally. The red light is creating heavy shadows that will hide them if need be. She slows and Kolyat quickly pulls up his omni-tool.

"Jamming their cameras," he informs. "But we should keep moving. Where is your ship docked?"

"Ever hear of the _Normandy_?"

Kolyat eyes snap up to her. "The _Normandy_? As in Commander Shepard's _Normandy_?"

"The one and only." Anyone with an ear to the ground naturally knows where the infamous ship is, mostly so that they can avoid it.

He gives her a look that is to alien for her to read. "Whatever," he sighs.

Kolyat scans the ceiling and uses his biotics to pry a grate loose to a ventilation shaft. It floats off into a dark corner—hidden—before he jumps up to the narrow hole.

"Damn." Jack stumbles back as her head snaps up to follow his movement. "Didn't know drell could hop."

He slips inside before his head peaks back at her. "Glad you're impressed. Now come on." His head disappears before she can say anything.

She jumps with her biotics and easily makes it. Only she curses as she pulls herself up.

"Hey!" she calls, refusing to feel embarrassed. "My shotguns caught." He turns in the vent and quietly crawls back to her. He leans down and angles the shotgun with one hand and pulls her up with the other. She expects to see a smirk on his face as he crawls back to give her space.

But he looks oddly serious as he ask, "You good?"

"Yeah," she answers.

_Now _he smirks. "Good."

"Asshole," Jack grumbles as he turns around. "And do you know which way to go?"

"Yes," he calls back. "I mapped out all nearby escape routes for this job beforehand."

They move in silence and Jack ends up staring at Kolyat's ass. Even though she doesn't have much control over her view at the moment, she has to admit it's a nice one. At least she's not in front; she would have kicked him in the face for doing the same by now.

"Are we there yet?" She calls after who-knows-long of crawling. Her hands and knees are aching. At least the vent is weirdly clean. She's sure the Keepers are behind it, but the idea of how they manage it makes her head hurt. "Unlike some people I don't like being on my knees all day." She goads unnecessarily as boredom is making her antsy.

"People ever tell you, you have a charming personality?" He responds, sounding slightly annoyed.

"Nope. Most don't live long enough to form that opinion. Let alone get in such dickish remarks."

"Well, let me tell you; you're like sunshine and rainbows," Jack rolls her eyes. "On acid."

Jack's laugher bounces through the metal tunnel. They crawl for a bit longer before staring pointlessly at the drell's ass stops being entertaining. She is tempted to smack it just to see what he'll do, but she stops herself.

"Are we there yet?"

"No."

Shit, she's so damn bored! They should have just ran to the _Normandy_; all this sneaking around is not her style. But the Normandy's docking bay is still a good hour away on foot and she is hoping these shafts will be a short cut.

"How much longer?"

"I'm not sure—wait."

"What?"

"Be quiet," he orders.

"What? Why—"

"Shut-up!" He hisses as he crams his body to the side and meets her eyes. He is pointing to a grate in front of him and Jack crams her way next to him (elbowing him for good measure) and peaks through it. C-Sec officers are below them and Jack lets out a bark laugh that makes a few officers look around in confusion.

Kolyat clamps his hand to her mouth and hisses for her to be quiet. She grins as she licks his palm and his hand jerks away; again his expression is to alien for her to read.

"You idiot!" Jack smirks as she whispers to him. "We're right over C-Sec!"

He glares at her. "Which won't be a problem if you shut your mouth."

"Oh?" She raises a brow and her voice. "This mouth?" She asks pointing to her lips. "I should shut it?"

"Yes!"

Jack can feel her heart beat quicken as an idea comes to her. She is enjoying the heat created between their bodies and wonders if she has been reading the drell's behavior right.

"_Oh_?" She grins as she presses her chest to his; their leather coverings rubbing together and Kolyat's breathe hitches. "Shit, why would I do that? Fucking up some C-Sec cops sound a hell of a lot more fun than crawling through dirty vents." Her finger traces his jaw. "Or is there something that is both fun and will shut my mout—ompf!"

Kolyat gets the message as his lips slams against hers. His tongue shoots into her mouth as his hand cups her head to him and his arm snakes around her waist.

"Now?" He breaths, baffled, as he pulls away. "You want to do this _now_?"

So he _is_ feeling it too.

Jack roughly grips his ass and grinds her hips hard to his. "Fuck yes." His lips slam back to hers as he pulls the shotgun from her back and pushes it away. In the tight vent he rolls her on her back and she removes her pistol from her hip, letting it join her shotgun.

His teeth hit hers as he whispers, "You're insane."

She smirks into the bruising kiss. "And you like it." Her long fingers trace the ridges along his throat and he moans against her lips, his hips bucking hard.

"I thought we had to be quiet?" Her eyes are shining in amusement and it only riles him up more. He is kissing her again as his hand trails down to her pants. In the limited space she waits until he has undone her pants and she is kicking them off, mindful of the noise she makes and glad she goes commando, before reaching for his. His clothes are unfamiliar and his hand guides hers to the clasp; one of her fingers purposely skimming the hard bulge straining to be liberated.

His joined fingers push inside her just as she grabs his member in her hand. He feels strange, with curves and bumps she isn't familiar with. Her hand works to remedy that as she strokes him.

"Shit." She moans as she bucks against his thrusting fingers, the stretching of her walls feeling so damn good. Her hand tightens around his hard length and he drops his head into her neck, biting down to stop his own moan of pleasure. The bite is harder than she expects; but his teeth don't break the skin so she doesn't break his hold. Thinking the drell might enjoy some biting in return—with their thicker skin—she grazes her teeth along his neck. She lightly bites down on a ridge.

He hisses—a strange sound she's sure only a drell can make—and pulls away. She's about to protest when his heated eyes meet hers and he pulls her legs as far apart as he can. Her knees hit the walls with a hard thud, but they're both far past caring.

But he stops short and his eyes never leave hers. "Sure?"

_What? _Some of the lust clears from her mind and she wants to punch him for that. She can only start dumbly at him.

"Jack?" He pulls away. "Are you sure?" Still she is silent and his brow knit together. "Are you feeling alright? I know drell… saliva can be a bit much for humans…." He looks away.

"It's not your toxic spit; I take stronger shit to fall asleep." He looks back at her and it's her turn to look away. "I've just… no one's ever asked that before. Caught me off guard."

His hands turn her face to his and he mumbles, "I see." And she's pretty damn sure he does.

Jack shallows the lump in her throat_. This is all that bitch Shepard's fault_. Always with her talks and so damn trusting; it is making Jack soft just being around her. "Yeah, I'm sure."

He's kissing her again; building back some of the urgency they lost because of their little chat. Jack tries to ignore the tenderness in the kiss and how her heart strangely swells from it.

Kolyat kisses her jaw line and her breath catches with each open mouth press. His hand cups her breast through her shirt and his lips glide over until he reaches the other with his mouth and bites through the leather. Jack moans as she arches at his gentle nips. His fingers tug her zipper down and her small breast bounce perkily as they are freed.

His hot mouth clamps over her nipple; one hand kneading the other breast and his fingers pushing thickly into her again.

"Kolyat," she pants. She didn't mean to call his name. Sex is meant to be impersonal; fun and quick. Not… this.

He sucks hard at the sound of his name and his joined fingers increase in tempo; his thumb finding her aching bud and pressing it.

She's positive that she isn't his first human with the way he's sucking and biting her breast. With how his thumb is pressing down in just the right way that she can no longer hold her eyes open. Her hand clutches his head tight to her chest as her other claws at the walls around them.

She's so damn close. "_Kolyat._"

He suddenly stops and pulls back.

Jack's eyes snap open and she glares at him and her biotic flaring with her temper; his lips quirk into a smile as he leans down and slowly presses his member to her folds.

"Tease." She gasps as he sinks into her. He presses his head to hers as he fills her full hilt. "Damn." She sighs at the feeling of being so full.

"_Jack_." Somehow her cursed name sounds good coming from his lips.

He stays like that, deep inside her, until she lets out a small growl and grabs him by his neck.

"Fuck me raw," she orders, clenching her walls around his cock, making him shudder.

"Gladly," he whispers.

His pace is measured at first. As they move around for the best spot in the vent. Her legs wrap around his hips and he drags her away from the grate before finally letting himself go. The sound of their flesh smacking together is different than she's use to, with his thicker drell skin hitting her softer human one. And she can feel how the bumps and ridges along his member are rubbing against her insides; fanning the fire in her gut into an unstoppable blaze.

Jack's a panting mess. She has to bite down every time a scream of pleasure rips through her throat. She knows her moans are too loud and that any second some C-Sec asshole will be sticking his head up here to check; but that only adds to the trill.

Kolyat's thrusts are short and fast and _hard_. And every time she pants his names he hits her harder and harder until she can barely speak.

And every time he pants her name she sucks his neck—on the ridges he likes so much—and claws his back.

His tough skin is bumping her swollen bud enough for her to know he is doing it on purpose as he pounds her down into the metal vent. Her eyes clench closes as she feels herself being pushed to her release.

He makes another drell hiss as he shoves his tongue into her mouth and slams into her.

Light explodes behind her eyes and she fights to control her biotics; as she actually cares if she turns Kolyat into a stain on the wall. His body goes ridged as he groans deeply, filling her and sending hot, blissful waves through her in her hazy ecstasy.

Jack opens her eyes and he surprised to see him watching her. She knows enough about drells to know he will be able to recall this moment later with perfect clarity. So, while she is tempted to just lay there and stare in to his eyes, she forces a cocky grin to her lips. Her throat is to sore for her to trust her voice.

He returns the grin and asks, "Can we go now?"

Jack pressed her face to his neck as she laughs.

* * *

"Kolyat," Thane says, slightly breathless as they enter the docking bay.

She and Kolyat are walking side-by-side, but she hangs back as the two men face each other. Commander Shepard walks quietly to Jack's side and Jack tries to ignore the little voice in the back of her head that calls out 'friend' every time Shepard's near. Still, she makes no move to leave Shepard's side.

"Father," Kolyat says slowly and Jack can't help but grin.

Shepard quietly says, "You did well, Jack." She hands her a credit chip and smiles at the father and son duo. "I think you're finally earning your keep."

Jack rolls her eyes as she takes the chip and pockets it. Shepard leans slightly closer without turning her head. "You might want to make sure your comm is locked on mute next time. External ones tend to turn back on when you… bump around too much."

Jack's jaw drops as she stares at the nonchalant commander. "Got an ear full, huh?" She tries to copy the commander's cool nature but fails.

So she gets mad instead as she adds, "And I'm not some whore you can just pay off." She growls pulling out the chip. Now Shepard turns to Jack and the amusement in her eyes pisses her off more.

"Oh, _I know_. From what I've heard that was all for your own benefit."

Jack lets out a furious scream as her biotics flare. Shepard runs off towards the _Normandy_, her laughter making Jack see red.

"You bitch! Just how much did you listen to?"

The two drells break from their silence stare of each other and look at the two bickering human women.

"Enough to know you're quite _raw_ right now."

Kolyat looks from Shepard to his father, and Thane clears his throat as he looks away. Kolyat picks up the message and—while he can't blush—she can feel his biotics flare in his discomfort.

"You're dead, Shepard! So dead!" Jack tries to hold onto her anger even as it fades seeing Shepard laugh uncontrollably and Kolyat glance at her with a half-coy smile.

It is strange and new and, given her past, she likes it more than she should; this thing called trust.

And it is turning out to be pretty damn addicting.


End file.
